Hoping for Tomorrow
by Kai-Mikaela10
Summary: There's nothing more painful for Lucy than to watch as Natsu slowly walked out of her life in the arms of another. But what could she do? Smile and say everything is okay? As long as he was happy, everything would be alright. But it doesn't take long for her to just accept it and walk away. these feelings, the pain they bring are what brought them together. Nalu, Nali,Sticy (?)
1. Chapter 1: Broken Hearts

_This is my first NALU (NatsuxLucy) fanfic. I'm used to Sticy, but I've decided to try Nalu for once. It's a bit more difficult for me to write this and it may be confusing, but i hope it will clear up near the end:) _

_I hope you like this story! enjoy!_

_I do not own Fairy Tail! (Italicized are in Lucy's POV)_

* * *

Chapter 1: Broken Hearts

_He looked at me with bright, golden eyes, a smile spreading across the features on his face. There was a hint of red on his cheeks, "Luce, guess what? Lisanna and I are finally together!" It took a few seconds for my mind to process what he had just said. The smile on my face faltered. My heart shattered, and it was difficult for me to even stand there, smile, and congratulate him. "So from now, she's going to be going on missions with us? Isn't that great? Me, my best friend, and my girlfriend!"_

_The wide, grin on his face, was all that kept me from breaking down in front of him. He was happy, and that was all that mattered. "That's would be wonderful, Natsu. I'm very happy for you."_

* * *

She knew it was wrong for her to be so envious of their relationship. Those smiles, sweet words, and kisses they exchanged caused her heart to shatter. So maybe Natsu has forgotten about her. Maybe now, Lisanna is all he could really ever think about. So maybe, Lucy lost her best friend that she happen to have developed feelings for. So what?

Lucy's chocolate brown eyes moved from one part of the guild hall to another. Sometimes her glance would flicker to her best friend and his girlfriend who had just "risen from the dead." They were both so happy, like nothing else mattered. Really, it seemed as if they had no problems, while Lucy, on the other hand, was alone. Even when she found out her father died, it was just Gray and Levy who were there to support her. Natsu was preoccupied with Mirajane's younger sister, while Erza had set off on an S-class job master had asked for her to do.

She hated the feelings she had for Natsu. Even back when she first realized she was gradually falling for him, she had tried to tell herself it was wrong. He treated her like a younger sister and that was it. Even when Mirajane had insisted that Natsu and her would make a cute couple (which Lucy had almost believed), she knew the moment Lisanna stepped in, he could never look at her as more than just a friend.

Lucy should have stopped depending on him and Gray to save her whenever she was in trouble. She should have stopped thinking they will always be there for her. Because now, she couldn't go on missions with a team, and only when Gray felt up to it. And she really needed money for rent.

She sighed, stood up, and made her way to the request board. There were so many jobs to choose from, and yet they were all difficult. Lucy groaned, _Can I really do this?_ The celestial mage scanned the papers, trying to look for an easier job.

"Find a job, Lucy?" Mirajane smiled at the stellar mage.

Lucy nearly jumped from where she stood, _oh jeez! When did she get here? _Trying to calm her rapidly beating heart, she tried to force a smile, "Uhm, actually I was thinking..."

"Excellent!" Mirajane interrupted. "I have the perfect job for you. It's really simple, just a little search job. No one else wants to go because its too easy, but I think you'll do it." She smiled a rather suspicious smile. "Its $140000 jewels each."

Lucy's eyes suddenly gleamed. It was enough for two months of rental payment. "Each?" The last word hung in the air.

"It's a collaboration. Though, I'm not quite sure who you will be partnered with. You will have to wait until you get there." Mirajane, once again smiled. Lucy could not help but be suspicious about the job. $140000 jewels just to search for something sounds a little off. If it was that easy, shouldn't it be a lower reward? Not that she was complaining.

Her eyes flickered to Mirajane and back at the request paper. It must be another mage from another guild, but she was not quite sure if this soon to be partner of hers would get along with her. But if it meant money for rent, then she might as well, especially since it is a pretty easy job.

"Okay, I should hurry then," she took a quick glance at the couple by the door. They weren't really paying attention to anything else. "Bye Mira! Thanks!" She gave the take over mage a quick wave of goodbye and walked out of the guild doors. She did not bother to say goodbye to the others, seeing as they were pretty busy, with drinking, and dancing, and in Natsu's and Lisanna's case, making out.

Lucy took another look at the request paper. She was going to have to take the train to Balsam Village. A smile quirked up on her lips at the memories that flooded her mind. That was where Loki had suddenly showed up to save her from perverted creeps. That and the fact that the place was known for those really amazing hot springs. A small vacation afterwards wouldn't hurt.

* * *

The stellar mage was exhausted. Four days in the mountains searching for herbs, with the least expected mages to collaborate with; the twin dragon slayers of Sabertooth. One cocky jerk, and another who seemed like he was giving her the silent treatment. Another three days spent trying to relax only to run into them again. And for the white dragon slayer to accuse her of being a stalker!

For once she was glad to be back in Magnolia. Far, Far away from those two Sabertooth mages. She would have been glad if it were other mages from another guild, but why Sabertooth? Especially when they despised Fairy Tail so much. She could only hope that all other events that occurred during that mission would remain unspoken.

"Lucy, how was the job?" Mirajane greeted her with her usual warm smile. Lucy smiled back, and took a seat by the bar. She took note of her surroundings. Everyone was in their usual cheerful mood, but a lot more were drinking. She even noticed Gray taking shots with Natsu and Lisanna. Another tug of pain at her heart. They were smiling at each other, seemingly oblivious to everything else, especially her.

So what ever happened to the five man team that Team Natsu was? It was still a five man team, just a change in members. Sure Gray would help her out with jobs from time to time, but he was usually with the others. Even Happy seemed more cheerful ever since the younger take-over mage returned.

"Lu-chan," Levy took a seat beside her best friend. "You were gone for a whole week, where were you?" Lucy bit her lip. She really wasn't paying attention to anything but the breaking in her heart. It was getting hard to breathe without her eyes tearing up. "What's wrong?" at her question, the stellar mage finally looked to her best friend.

A smile, "Nothing Levy-chan. I'm okay, just tired from that job." _No, don't look at her eyes. Eyes filled with so much concern and worry. They make you look pathetic_. Lucy turned away as quickly as she had acknowledged her presence. She could not bring herself to even run to her best friend and cry her heart out in her arms, because she knew how weak that would make her look.

"How was your job, then?" Levy questioned. She was worried about her best friend, but she knew better than to push the subject further.

"Incredibly annoying. I'd rather spend a whole week with Erza than be stuck with two arrogant dragon slayers. Really Mira, you didn't know about that did you?" Lucy's gaze moved towards the take-over mage who had an innocent smile on her face.

"Of course not, Lucy. I just chose the job best suited for you," another innocent smile. "Dragon slayers, you say? You must be talking about Sting and Rogue then?" Mira's eyes gleamed with excitement.

Lucy sighed and gave up on questioning the take-over mage any further to prevent any more unnecessary subjects to arise, "It was very simple for something worth so much money. But I don't wanna question it. For once, Lady Luck is on my side." It was true, and the only down side was the fact that she had to work with Sabertooth mages. She was more than happy that occurrences like that were only likely to happen once in a lifetime. Never again will she ever work with such arrogant men.

"Good morning, Lucy, Levy, Mira-nee!" Lisanna, with Natsu right next to her, walked up towards the three female mages. Natsu's arm was wrapped tightly around the younger take-over mage's waist, but only Levy and Mirajane could see. Lucy merely raised a hand to acknowledge their presence and resumed trying to distract herself.

"What are you guys up to?" Natsu gave them a toothy grin, his hand never letting go of Lisanna. His eyes observed the three females from Levy, to Mirajane, and finally, to his best friend whose back was turned to them.

"Oh, we're just talking about finding our Lucy someone to spice up her love life," Mirajane smiled, while Lucy coughed behind them, her face a dark shade of red. "In fact, she just had her first date with the dragon slayer duo of Sabertooth."

"What?" Natsu's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Luce, you went on a date with them?"

Lucy did not look back to meet his gaze, but rather stood up, her hands on the table, "I'm sorry. I'm very tired. I think I'll head home for the day. Excuse me..."

The group watched as the stellar mage left, her shoulders slightly slumped. Natsu let go of Lisanna, confused and worried about his best friend. There was something wrong with her, but she has been so distant lately that it was becoming difficult for him to approach her.

* * *

"_Neh, Natsu?" I smiled up at my pink-haired best friend. He stood by the river bank, while I watched the water flow. "We're always going to be a team right?" He looked at me incredulously, as if he could not believe I just asked that question._

"_Of course, Luce!" He raised a hand in the air, a toothy grin flashed at me. "I'm always going to protect you, we're nakama, and don't you forget that." I could not help but smile at his words, my heartbeat suddenly spiked. I looked down, one hand over my chest. There was a unique feeling surfacing, the heat rose to my face, the beating of my heart quickening. _

"_I hope it will always be like this."_

"_Silly, you're acting un-Lucy like. Of course it's always going to be like this. I wouldn't want it any other way."_

* * *

Lucy looked around the nearly empty room. Why exactly was she doing this? She was afraid. She has already lost so many people she cared about, she just could not watch someone else walk out of her life. This time, she was the one who was going to walk away.

_Don't cry._ But already tears were beginning to form at the corners of her eyes._ If you do, you'll never be able to move on_. Pushing the tears back, she zipped her suitcase, one last look around the place, before walking downstairs to hand over her apartment keys.

The night air was peaceful, no breeze, just the silence and the smooth flow of the water. She looked up, no stars visible, just the moon, and a blank, empty midnight blue sky. "I'm going to miss this place. When I become stronger, both physically and emotionally, I promise I'll come back." She was not sure if she meant what she said, unsure if she can really move on and pretend like she never once held feelings for Natsu.

* * *

"_Natsu! You baka! You didn't have to destroy the whole building!" I placed both hands on my hips, my eyes narrowed in anger at the fire dragon slayer who continuously apologized, both hands clasped together. "There goes my rent," I sighed. _

"_Let's go on another job, Luce! I promise I will try not to destroy anymore buildings!" He smiled his signature grin and I could not help but accept his apology and smile back. _

"_Fine. Fine." We made our way back to Magnolia, walking rather than taking the train. I tried to avoid having Natsu spill the contents of his stomach on my clothes again. It was a little before sunset when we came to a stop in the middle of the forest. It was wonderful sight, especially with the moon shining right above us. The scenery alone was enough to make me smile._

_Natsu had created a campfire, eating some of the flames every now and then. I took a glance at him only to find him staring at me, a lopsided smile on his face. "What?" I asked him, suddenly feeling a little self-conscious._

"_I dunno," he shrugged, "I just really like it when you're smiling." I could feel the blush rising to my cheeks. "Luce, I'm going to make sure you always have that smile on your face. If anybody makes you frown, or cry, I will make sure they regret it."_

* * *

Natsu was seated beside Lisanna, every now and then running a hand over her arm. She was saying something, but he wasn't quite sure what exactly. Other things were running through his mind. Something was wrong with Lucy, and he could not help but be worried. The stellar mage did not show up to the guild and it was bothering him to no end. No sign of long, blond hair to be seen.

The fire mage took another quick look around. He felt as if he had abandoned her. He should have confronted her back when he first began to suspect there was something wrong. It has been a couple of months now since he last saw her genuinely smile. Even back when he had told her the news that he and Lisanna had finally gotten together, her smile differed greatly from before.

What bothered him most was the fact that Mirajane had told them the day before that Lucy had gone on a date with Sting and Rogue. What exactly was she thinking going on a date with two dangerous mages? He should have gone with her on that mission, but he just could not leave Lisanna behind.

"Natsu?" The fire mage turned to his girlfriend, and eyebrow raised in question, "What's wrong?"

"I'm just worried. I haven't seen Lucy all day," the sudden shift in the take-over mage's posture caused Natsu to look at her with curiosity. He noticed the way she suddenly felt uncomfortable, her gaze travelling away from his.

"Natsu...Nee-san told me, that Lucy left last night."

* * *

_I screamed then kicked the warm body laying comfortably beside me. "Natsu! What are you doing here?!" I jumped off the bed and pulled the blanket off Natsu's sleeping form. He slowly opened his eyes, adjusting to the darkness in the room. "Go home Natsu."_

"_But I like sleeping in your bed, Luce." He shut his eyes and went back to sleep. I sighed and walked over to the sofa. "Lucy...we can sleep together." Heat rose to my face at his words. Ignoring him, I continued to walk and plop myself down on the sofa, pulling the blanket over me. It was another one of those nights._

_The following morning was not one of the best mornings. I woke up to the sound of Natsu and Happy rummaging through my already empty refrigerator and when I stood up, I could feel an ache in my body. Damn sleeping on the sofa. I don't know how Natsu could put up with it sometimes. _

"_Natsu, could you try not crash in here so often?" At those words, the dragon slayer feigned a look of hurt on his face._

"_Come on Luce. I love your place. I don't think I would know what to do with my life without you and without it." _

_I sighed. It was just so difficult to say no to him._

* * *

Lucy wanted to scream, yell, and kick the nearest thing around her. She felt like the world was against her. She had made the decision to take an nice, long, vacation in Balsam Village, feeling a little more relaxed in the village than anywhere else. But to have to encounter one of the two most arrogant men in the world, she was really beginning to think fate was playing with her.

He seemed extremely pissed off, but so was the stellar mage. "What the hell are you doing here, blondie?" He glared at her, the playful tone from a couple of days back no longer present.

"None of your business," Lucy walked past him, trying to avoid any more conflict.

"Did Natsu-san finally decide to dump you? Is that why you packed your bags and left?" Lucy froze and turned to glare at the White Dragon Slayer. It really did look as if she was running away, with two filled suitcases in hand.

"For your information, Natsu and I are just friends. I only came here to get some peace and quiet," she turned away from him and continued to walk in the direction of the inn, where she was reserved to stay, but then paused. "What are you doing here?"

Their backs were turned to each other, neither one looking at the other. A cold breeze swept by, and they stood there in silence. Lucy waited for his response though it seemed as if he was not going to reply. The gush of wind was all that could be heard.

"That's...none of your business."

"Then don't try to meddle with mine." Lucy took a small step forward, but stopped when Sting spoke again.

"Guess we're on the same boat huh?"

* * *

_How was it?_

_Read and Review Please!:)_


	2. Chapter 2: Everything Special

_Here's Chapter two. I apologize for any errors I may have made, ahead of time. I am partially awake while typing this. Anyways. Enjoy! and thankyou for those who reviewed!:)_

_I do not own Fairy Tail!_

* * *

Chapter 2: Everything Special

_The loud shattering of glass echoed throughout the guild. I stood, frozen in place and watched as blood dripped slowly down my hand. "Luce, are you okay?" Natsu tended to me, and immediately checked to make sure no broken fragments were in the wound. He then tore off a piece of fabric from his shirt and wrapped it tightly around my hand. "Luce, what's wrong?" _

"_Oh. Uhm, I'm sorry I didn't catch that. What did you say? The glass slipped off my hand. I'm so clumsy," I let out a soft laugh and gently pulled his hand away and began to pick up the broken fragments. _

"_I said, I want Lisanna to be my girlfriend. I've had feelings for her ever since we were younger, so could you help me out?" He looked at me with eager eyes and that all too heartwarming smile of his. I wasn't sure whether it was the glass or my heart that shattered to pieces. There was a pain in my chest and it became difficult for me to speak. "Please, Luce? You're the only one I can really trust with this. I'm no good with romance."_

_I stood back up, and smiled at him, "Sure."_

* * *

Lucy sat on the bench, under the shade of a large tree. The sun was high up in the sky and the heat was becoming unbearable. She had assumed that because the prior week the weather had been wonderful, it would be for a while. But she was wrong. The sun was radiating waves of heat, even at night. It was too hot for hot springs and the beach was another train ride.

She wondered if anyone in the guild was worried about her. Knowing them, they probably are, but she already made sure to let Mirajane know that she would be leaving for a while. _A while_... She did not exactly how long that would be. _As long as it takes to get over him_.

Mirajane had promised her that she would make sure that no one, especially Natsu and Gray, were to come after or to go looking for her, so why was the stellar mage, at least a part of her, hoping that Natsu would suddenly show up and try to take her back to the guild?

Sighing, the stellar mage lifted a hand to cover her eyes from the bright rays of the sun. She stood up, and regrettably walked back to the direction of the inn she was currently staying at. Slumping, she groaned, "A nice swim would be wonderful right now."

"Why do I always run into you fairy?" At the sound of Sting's voice, Lucy grimaced. She looked up to find him in nothing but sweats, sweat glistening down his chest. "Aren't you a pretty sight?"

"Can't say the same about you," Lucy frowned, "Remind me again, why exactly are you here?"

The white dragon slayer looked up, tearing his gaze away from her chocolate brown orbs, "I'm...I'm on a temporary leave from Sabertooth. You?"

Lucy's eyes slightly widened, surprised that one of the top members of Fairy Tail's rival guild would have time to take a vacation. His question caused her mood to darken, "I guess...you could say I'm also on leave from Fairy Tail..."

Their eyes met for a second, and for that moment, Lucy felt as if she understood him, but it did not last long. Sting reminded her too much of Natsu. Maybe it was because they had the same amount of passion when it comes to what they want, or maybe, it was that same toothy grin. Or maybe...It was just her heart and mind longing to see him.

A strong pair of arms wrapped around Lucy's body, causing her to freeze in place, "Luce! Come back to Fairy Tail with us!" _Natsu..._

* * *

_I blushed, the heat rising to my face as Natsu slowly pulled away, his golden eyes curious. "N–Natsu, what was that for?" One hand moved over my mouth, as he tilted his head in wonder._

"_I've never kissed a girl before, Luce. You said you would help me to impress Lis," slightly irritated, I smacked him on the head, causing him to wince in pain. "What was that for?" I could feel my eye twitch in irritation. Was it that easy for him to do things without thinking? I mentally shook my head in disapproval. Yet it saddened me to think that my first kiss was meant to impress another girl._

"_Natsu, you can't just kiss a girl just for practice. Girls take relationships seriously, and it won't be until a few dates later that you actually kiss. And don't just kiss me like that!"_

"_Why? We're friends anyway Luce," he flashed me a toothy grin, causing my heart to skip a beat. Oh Natsu, if only I could tell you... "Ice princess told me girls like guys who are good kissers. Am I a good kisser Luce?" I blushed at his naivety. _

"_H–how about we start with something simple?" I placed a hand over my chest, trying to distract him from the subject of kissing. I placed a finger on my chin, looking up, trying to think of something involving romance and dating. "Oh! Let's st–" _

_My eyes unconsciously locked with Natsu's. He was leaning forward, his hands moving to cup my face. "Natsu?" Without further warning, he placed his lips against mine. We were still for another minute, before he pulled away and smiled._

"_How was that Luce? Ya think Lisanna will be impressed?"_

* * *

Natsu was staring, no, glaring at the white dragon slayer, who sat down on the bench next to his best friend. Why were they together? His mind was quickly jumping from one thought to another. Were they dating? He shook his head at the thought. There was just no way that Lucy would go out with a guy like Sting Eucliffe. It could not have been a collaboration job. Mira had told them Lucy left the guild on temporary leave.

The news, of course, enraged him. He had run all the way to her apartment to stop her from leaving, but only to find that her home was no longer occupied; vacant. It hurt him, to think that his best friend would leave without even bothering to say goodbye and it made him feel guilty to know that there was something wrong with Lucy and he could not be around to help her.

Lucy was the first to break the silence, "Natsu, what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be with Lisanna right now?"

Natsu's gaze traveled from Sting to the stellar mage. She was looking away, at a far distance. He did not like it. He missed the sparkle in her chocolate brown orbs, and the way she would always speak to him with a smile upon her lips. "Luce, I came to take you back home. To your family."

Sting merely watched as the two conversed. As much as he would have loved to make fun of his rival, he knew better than to get into business that was very much similar to his own. His eyes lingered on Lucy, noticing the way she constantly avoided eye contact from her best friend. It was obvious she was in love with the idiot, but the idiot was too much of an idiot to actually realize it. Really he could sympathize with her

"So you don't want to go back to Fairy Tail? Lucy, why? Why can't you tell me what's wrong?" Natsu was becoming upset, frustrated, and pissed at himself. Something happened that he was not aware of that caused Lucy to become so distant from him.

"Natsu, I'm on temporary leave. Please. I just need to be alone for a while. I'll be fine," Lucy was on the verge of begging the fire dragon slayer to leave. She was having difficulty being around him with so much emotions building up inside her.

Natsu clenched his hands into fists. It was obvious the spirit mage was not going to say what was bothering her so much. They have never had a problem like this, so why now? He could not imagine weeks, months, without his best friend, but here he stood, listening to her push him away, "Fine. Just, take care of yourself. I'll see you soon." With that, he turned around and walked away, shoulders slumped.

The white dragon slayer and the celestial spirit mage sat in silence. Lucy completely forgetting about the man who sat beside her, while Sting was not sure what to do. He coughed, "Don't you think that was a little bit harsh?"

Lucy looked down. She knew it was and she hated herself for doing such things, but she would do anything, anything, just to get rid of her feelings for Natsu. "But who am I to talk right? I did the exact same thing to her." At his words, she looked at him, her eyes suddenly curious, but his lips not saying a word.

She watched as he stood up and looked down at her, holding a hand out to her, "Come. Let's forget about how fucked up our lives are, even for just a few hours."

She stared at him for a few moments before hesitantly taking his hand, "Kay..."

* * *

_I looked at the silver crystal in my hand, awestruck. Who knew Natsu could be so thoughtful when it came to gifts? I looked at him, his golden eyes eager, "Well?"_

"_I think it's beautiful Natsu," I raised it up and watched as the small rays of sunlight fell upon its surface. "You've been saving up for this?"_

_He nodded, a smile on his lips, "Yeah. I knew you would like it. I wanted to get you something special, that way you know just how grateful I am to you. Here," he took the bracelet from my hand, "Let me put it on your wrist." I smiled and nodded._

_Just as he was about to put the bracelet around my wrist, the door opened to reveal Lisanna and Cana. They seemed to be deep in conversation before turning to greet us. Natsu, to no surprise, immediately jumped to embrace the young take-over mage, bracelet still in hand. I smiled and greeted them._

"_Oh! Natsu, what is that?" I did not have to look to know what Lisanna was talking about. "It's so pretty! I love it! Who is it for?" _

_Neither did I look up to see what was happening. I didn't want to look up, and I definitely did not want to hear the next three words that came out of Natsu's mouth. "It's uh...for you." I knew he looked back at me, but I didn't meet his eyes. _

_...It's okay. You don't have to apologize. She's everything special to you._

* * *

The two blonde mages were laughing wholeheartedly at nothing in particular. Their steps uncoordinated and out of balance. The female raised her hand in the air, a bottle of sake in her hold, and eventually brought it to her lips, downing a large amount of the liquor. The male watched, his eyes following the female, and constantly letting out small laughter at her clumsiness. He grabbed the bottle from her hand and raised it in the air, "Here's to unrequited love!"

Lucy laughed, her hand quickly moving to her stomach, "Un-unrequited love? Sting Eucliffe is in love?" She giggled, her breathing becoming slightly uneven. "Oh Almighty White Dragon Slayer–hic– Who does your heart belong to?"

His mood seem to darken almost instantaneously. He turned to her, and the look in his eyes tore her heart to pieces, "Yukino...She's actually...She's in love with my best friend..." The stellar mage did not bother to ask any more questions, but instead ran up to him and wrapped her arms around his waist. She could see herself reflected in his eyes. The sadness, pain, and the sorrow...It was all there.

When they pulled apart, they looked at each other for a few seconds before bursting into fits of laughter. The alcohol was getting to them and they knew they had to get home soon before they do anything reckless. "My inn's just around the corner, you can stay for the night if you want." Lucy skipped forward and looked back at the (still laughing) dragon slayer. "You coming or not?" She gave him a playful wink, before proceeding to skip to her inn.

When the two reached the inn, where Lucy was staying, the last thing they expected was the fire dragon slayer sitting in front of the door to her room. They were still laughing, but all that ceased at the sight of Natsu. The fire dragon slayer stood up, "Luce... I– I wanted to apologize for earlier. I just couldn't leave you here. It's not the same without my best friend at the guild."

Sting scoffed, his mind still hazy, "Oi! Don't go calling her your best friend! Ya wanna know who her best friend is?" At this, the white dragon slayer pointed a finger to himself, "That's right. I'm her best friend. Nah, scratch that, I'm her _boyfriend_."

Lucy looked stupendously at the two dragon slayers, trying to hold back a laugh that was threatening to escape her lips. She did not know why she found the situation funny, though she very much wanted to cry right now. Seeing Natsu was something she was not ready for just yet. Each time, she would find herself recalling all those times that she found him and his girlfriend locked in each other's arms.

Natsu let out a growl, "Say that again and you'll find yourself face first on the ground." He then took a long look at the two mages, "This is what you do to her? You get her this drunk?! So drunk that I can smell the alcohol even before you stepped into the building! Luce, we're going home." He grabbed a hold of her hand and began to pull her away.

Lucy pulled herself free, leaving a surprised Fire dragon slayer, "NO. Stupid Natsu! Just leave! Stop hurting me!" Tears flowed from her eyes as she turned and took hold of Sting's hand, pulling him with her into her room.

* * *

Natsu sat outside the inn, the sky dark, not a single star in sight. He placed his head in his palms, frustrated that he did not know what to do with Lucy. He wanted her to explain, above all else, how exactly was he hurting him. He wanted to speak to her, but each time Sting was always around. He sighed, "Lucy...We promised, we're always going to be a team..." _I don't think I can stand here knowing that you're with him and not me...I don't understand, why are you suddenly turning your back on us? _

He looked down, unsure of what exactly he was feeling; he was upset, sad, and he felt betrayed, but there was something else. He did not like the way Sting was always around Lucy and although he knew the white dragon slayer was only trying to piss him off, it bothered him to think that Lucy had a boyfriend. "Luce...Don't leave...me..."

* * *

**_Read and Review please! I would really appreciate it! And they also help motivate me to continue to write^_^ _**

**_Thankyou!_**


	3. Chapter 3: Idiot

**_Here's chapter 3! :) I know! this fanfic is pretty darn depressing but I'm really trying to challenge my writing right now :3 Anyways thanks for all the reviews and favorites/follow! You guys are the best!_**

**_Enjoy!:)_**

**_I do not own Fairy Tail!_**

* * *

Chapter 3: Idiot

_It's been a week since Team Natsu has gone on a job, and because Erza had gone off on an S-class mission, everyone could feel the difference: It just was not the same without her during our jobs. Natsu was becoming more and more frustrated, and it was obvious he wanted something to do. That, and I also needed money soon for rent. It was then that I've decided to ask the team to go on a job the following morning._

_And so the next day, I made my way to the guild, scanning the streets if ever Gray, Happy, or Natsu were not there. By some luck, I happen to run into all three of them, along with Lisanna, who greeted me with a kind smile, which I returned. I turned to the fire dragon slayer, "Natsu, let's go on a job?"_

_There was a short silence before he placed a hand to scratch the back of his head, "Well...uh...I'm sorry Luce, we kind of already got one approved from Mira. We didn't see you at the guild so we asked Lis instead." He gave me a kind of look that clearly said he was sorry that he'd forgotten all about me. _

_I looked at the group before me: Natsu still giving me an apologetic look, Gray shaking his head, Happy in Lisanna's arms, who was also giving a sincere look of apology. So what exactly can I do? My heart was slowly breaking to pieces and as much as I wanted to go, it was obvious they all wanted to spend quality time with their Lisanna. _

_By some miracle, I managed to give them a smile, "That's okay. You guys go on ahead. I–uh I forgot my keys at home, so I'll head back." I turned and began to walk away from them, but stopped and gave them another smile, "Good luck you guys!" Then I ran, salty tears already falling from my eyes._

_It would be so much better, if I could learn to hide these feelings for you, Natsu. _

_Then maybe, I wouldn't be going through this much pain._

* * *

Lucy's head was pounding when she woke up the following morning and she regretted immediately pushing herself up in a sitting position. After a few minutes trying to focus her vision and suppressing the headache, she looked around and found the white dragon slayer sitting on the floor, observing her.

"You're awake," Lucy smiled at his rather obvious remark, and rolled her eyes. "You look like shit," he laughed, which Lucy found rather fascinating. He seems a little more comfortable around her than before and somehow it made her feel warm and at home.

He stood up and walked over to her, placed a hand on her head and ruffled her hair, "I'm glad you're okay, blondie."

Lucy frowned, slightly pulling herself back from his touch. She did not mind it. In fact, she more than welcomed it. It felt nice, almost as if he really cared and from what she could see, it was a sincere gesture. "You're awfully being nice," she raised an eyebrow at him.

Sting shrugged, "I've decided that you're not so bad, fairy. Hurry up and get ready. I'm starving."

It surprised the dragon slayer when the celestial mage before him flashed him a genuine smile. It was different from the one he had seen earlier; sincere and beautiful. It reminded him of the times during the Grand Magic Games, whenever Natsu was around, she would always give him that smile. Something about it, about her, was giving him a warm feeling he lost so long ago.

Lucy looked sheepishly at the "ex" Sabertooth mage, "Uh–I uhm... Sting-kun?"

At the sound of his name, Sting looked down at the blonde female, rather surprised at the honorific, to find her cheeks flushed, "What?"

"I–uhm...I kind of don't have anymore money..." She looked down, embarrassed, "I kind of spent it all on this room for the next few months and I thought maybe I'd go find a job or something to earn jewels."

They looked at each other for moment before the white dragon slayer shrugged, "Well, guess there's no helping it." Lucy looked at him, confused. "I guess we can share the room. It's big enough for the two of us. I have money leftover so we can use that for food money."

The thought of sharing a room with the man caused Lucy to turn a dark shade of red, "Ehh?! T–that's n–not necessary! I'm p–perfectly f–fine with getting a j–job."

Sting raised a hand in the air and thinking that he was going to hurt her, Lucy reflexively moved back, closing her eyes in the process. She waited for the impact, and when none came, she opened one eye, to find his hand on her head and proceeded to ruffle her hair. She was really beginning to take a liking to the action. "Hey. I may be a jerk sometimes, but there's no way I'm leaving a girl out on her own, when I know I can do something to help. Besides, I've grown pretty fond of you."

Lucy looked at him with wide eyes, "Thanks...Sting-kun."

The blonde male gave her a small wink before turning to walk out of the room, "I'll be back in a few to grab my stuff. Be ready then so we can go get something to eat."

"Wait!" Lucy climbed out of the bed and ran up to Sting, pulling him in a tight embrace. She did not know what was going on with herself, but she knew at some point the tears and the built up emotions would eventually have to come out. She held onto to him tightly, as if he was the only thing left that could keep her standing.

"Hey...Don't cry blondie," Sting let out a soft chuckle, one arm wrapped around her waist, the other on her head. For some reason, he wanted to help her, a part of him wanted to comfort her. He could already tell, even during their first job together, that she's been crying nights and he knew exactly how she felt. _Natsu, you idiot._

* * *

Natsu sat on the stool, by the bar. It was where his best friend always use to sit, but after what had happened the night before, he was beginning to doubt she would ever come back to Fairy Tail. He wanted to know what was wrong with Lucy, and from what she had told him, it was his fault. He could clearly picture her eyes filled with tears, and the way she had walked away with Sting. She had told him that he was hurting her, but how? It was just too different without her. He did not like it. He hated it. He hated him.

"Yo. Natsu, why the sour face?" Gray sat down on the stool next to Natsu's and raised an eyebrow at him.

Natsu lowered his head, "Lucy...she doesn't want to see me. Neh, Gray?" He turned to look at the ice-mage. "Have I ever done anything to hurt Luce?"

Gray's body stiffened at his question. He did not know what to say. Well, he did, but he was not in the right place to tell him what exactly was wrong with Lucy. As much as he wanted to help them, it could not be one way and the other. It had to be either or. "Natsu, Lucy will come back sooner, if not, later. But she will come back. If you really want to know what's wrong, then you're going to have to look back at all the things you two have done together. You may be dense but I sure hope you're not too stupid to not realize it."

"Eh? So you know what's wrong with her?"

"Baka! I just told you what to do, so be satisfied with my advice!"

"I'm not an idiot, stupid! Why don't you just tell me already?! Instead of making me go through so much trouble!" Natsu's eye twitched in irritation. Gray was being a complete asshole rather than helping him out. Sure they were rivals, but even he would help from time to time.

The ice mage landed a punch on Natsu, causing him to fall on the floor. "What the hell was the for?!"

"Natsu," Gray's tone of voice deepened, which did not go unnoticed by the fire mage, "If you're going to be this dense, stupid, and act like this is too much work, then give up on trying to get Lucy back. As both your friend, I want you two to settle this. As your friend, I want you to learn and realize what Lucy is going through, but as her friend, I want what's best for her right now. And staying away from the guild, and away from you, is what's best for her."

Natsu was dumbfounded. This wasn't the first time Gray has spoken to him like this, but it was difficult for him to accept his words. He has never given up on anything before and he sure as hell wasn't about to give up on Lucy. He pushed himself up from the ground, and he surprisingly did not attack the ice mage. He turned, walking towards the door, "I'm going to show you. I'm going to prove to all of you, that HE isn't what's best for Lucy right now!"

* * *

_It's been a good two weeks since I last worked with a team. To be more specific, with Team Natsu. They were always out on job requests whenever I would return home, bruised and scratched. And when they would come back, I would be out working. Sometimes Gray would try to help me, but he easily gets bored. It must not be much fun without anyone arguing with him. I would always catch him yawning, or trying to distract himself. _

_It was when I returned from my most recent job that I came home to the guild to find everyone celebrating. Everyone was drinking to their heart's content, and I couldn't help but smile. It's been a while since Fairy Tail had actually held a party. _

_I looked around, searching for my best friend, but what I saw only tore my already broken heart to fragments. He was dancing with Lisanna, his arms wrapped tightly around her waist, while hers were wounded over his shoulders, fingers playing with his pink locks. The smile on my face fell. _

_I saw him turn and give me a smile. I tried. I really did. But I couldn't lie to myself. I couldn't smile back, but instead I turned around and made my way out the guild. Closing the door behind me, I looked up at the night sky. No stars were visible, and as I stood there for a few minutes, the rain began to pour heavily. _

_The tears began to fall, hidden in the cold, freezing rain. _

_Don't cry Lucy...Everything's going to be okay..._

* * *

Lucy took a step back, her mouth hanging open, sweat dripping on her forehead, her face a dark shade of red. She struggled to find the words, one finger pointing at the man who had just stepped out of the bathroom. "Y–you!" was all that came out of her lips. "P–p–put s–some c-clothes on!"

Sting smirked, clearly satisfied with her reaction. He merely shrugged and proceeded to grab clothes to change into. "You shouldn't be reacting that way. Haven't you seen a naked guy before?" As soon as he put on his clothes, he walked over to Lucy, who was still red from shock after seeing a naked man in her room. He leaned forward, a smirk on his lips, "So blondie, how about you and I show Natsu-san and Yukino just what they're missing out on?" He winked.

"Huh?" It took a while for Lucy to process what he was saying. But did she really even have the guts to lie to Natsu? No, she couldn't. As much as she wished it was her and not Lisanna in his arms, she couldn't do something so desperate. "No way Eucliffe. You're on your own."

Sting narrowed his eyes and smirked, "Eh? If you say so Fairy."

* * *

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	4. Chapter 4: At Some Point

**Here's Chapter 4! I apologize for any mistakes I may have made xc**

**I do not own Fairy Tail!**

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Chapter 4: At Some Point

Natsu watched as Lucy walked out of the inn, her arm slipped through Sting's. It has been three months since Lucy has left the guild and it would seem that whenever Natsu would come by to make sure she's okay, she was becoming more and more comfortable with the white dragon slayer. He did not like it, and as a friend, he was more than willing to make sure she was always safe, especially from someone as dangerous as Sting Eucliffe.

He was certain that Lucy never noticed his presence, but he also knew Sting was able to detect him even from far away. It was one advantage to being a dragon slayer. And every time the fire mage would catch the two together, Sting would turn and give him a smirk, wrapping and arm around Lucy, who _used_ to shrug it off. But this time, she did not seem to care anymore.

Natsu turned away from the watching the two and sat on the branch of the tree, looking up at nothing in particular. He felt something moist slide down his cheeks, only to realize that they were tears falling from his eyes. He was crying, but why? Of course it hurts him to watch his best friend with someone else, but it hurt him more to think he was the reason why she left in the first place.

Lucy did not want him near her, or talk to her. Even Levy, Gray, and Mirajane had told him that being away is what's best and that he should just leave her alone, but no matter how much he tried, he could not leave her be. Lucy is just as important to him as everyone else in the guild. She is someone special to him. The one person who was the reason why he got through all the difficult battles and fights they have gone through together.

He punched the trunk of the tree unconsciously, the other hand coming up to cover his tear filled eyes. He had done what Gray had told him to do. He tried to figure out on his own just what was wrong with her, but he just could not think of anything that might have upset her this bad. He wanted to confront her, to hug her, to see her smile one more time. _I miss you, Luce. Come back to me..._

* * *

Lucy's eye twitched in irritation, as the white dragon slayer comfortably slung his arm over her shoulder. He was being too touchy for her liking. But then again, she somewhat had gotten used to it and more than anything, she was beginning to get used to his presence.

She could still see the distant look that Sting sometimes had. She knew he was still thinking about the girl he cared for. He would let out his frustration by constantly getting into unnecessary fights. Sometimes allowing himself to be beaten, to the point where Lucy would have to drag him back to the inn and lecture him for an hour. Then again, who was she talk? Every now and then her mind would drift back to the memories she shared with Natsu. Then she would wonder what exactly was he doing at that time, and maybe, even if just a little, she would cross his mind too.

The stellar mage sighed, forgetting that Sting's arm was still placed over her shoulder. She missed Fairy Tail, and as much as she wanted to go back, she just couldn't. What was the point? Sure, she has always dreamed of joining the guild, but was it not Natsu the reason why she was able to become a member in the first place? And now, he's the reason why she can't even bring herself to go back.

"You can always go back, Lucy," The sound of Sting's voice pulled Lucy out of her thoughts. They stopped walking momentarily, "Besides, we're almost out of money. I still have a few months before returning to Sabertooth, so if you want, I can go with you and join the fairies temporarily."

Lucy did not know what to do. He was right. They barely have enough money, and Sting had too much pride to go around working low paying jobs. And he definitely did not want Lucy to work to support both of them. Once again, it's his damn pride. Why was she even with the guy in first place? They rarely got along, and they usually had arguments for very little reason.

But she knew. She knew the reason why they stuck together. They supported each other and clung to each other like lifelines. Had it not been for Sting's rambunctious and yet carefree personality, Lucy never would have spent a night without crying. And if it were not for Lucy, Sting would be thinking of Yukino day in and day out.

At some point, she was going to have to face him anyways. "Yeah...okay." Sting began to walk forward when Lucy grabbed the hem of his shirt, "But you meant that right? You'll come with me? At least until I get over him?"

Sting smirked, "Of course, Blondie. Tch. It's been months and you're still not over him."

Lucy rolled her eyes. "Hypocrite."

* * *

_I've never, not once, have gotten into an argument with Natsu. He was my best friend, and when we do fight, it was always just to mess around. We've never yelled or screamed at each other, and not once did we ever get into a physical fight. That is...It never happened, until today..._

_I couldn't take it anymore. A few months have already passed and rarely did Natsu even talk to me, or say hi to me. It was always Lisanna this and Lisanna that. When we did talk, one look from her, and he would immediately respond, leaving on my own. _

"_Natsu," I called after him as he walked down the street. He turned around, and smiled. I smiled back and was about to wave when he walked past me. I stood there, invisible, and when I turned, I saw him approach Lisanna. They talked for a few minutes before parting ways, while I stood there...still invisible. I held my hands close to my chest, the same, heartbreaking feeling surfacing. I thought that I would get used to it, but, no matter how many times I see them together, it was the same feeling all over again._

_He turned back around, past me, and made his way to the guild. I clenched my hands tightly into fists. He ignored me, acting as if I don't exist or that i wasn't there. How long am I supposed to take all of this? Have I not given enough, and sacrificed enough? I tried to avoid my feelings, helped him out even...but... "Enough! I've had enough of this!" It was only then that he looked at me, seemingly surprised to find me standing there._

"_H–hey Luce," was all he said, lifting his hand up to scratch the back of his head. He gave his signature grin, acting as if nothing was wrong._

_I looked at him, but he continued to avoid my gaze, "Is that how it is? Natsu! Look at me!" He lifted his gaze and met mine, a guilty look on his face. "Is Lisanna that important to you that you can't even save me even a little bit of your spare time? What happened to our friendship? Natsu!"_

"_Shut up!" I was taken aback by the anger in his voice and his eyes. "You don't know anything about what Lisanna and I went through! You have no right to talk to her like you should be more important! You're just someone who came into our lives not too long ago so don't act like you should be getting the special treatment here!" _

_I took a step back, my eyes wide and near to tears. He seemed to be surprised by his words as well, because he took a step forward, holding his hand out, "L–Luce, I..." before he could say anymore, I turned and ran, trying to hold back the tears. Is this why I joined Fairy Tail? To become tied to a guy, who I would fall for and eventually end up hurting in the end? _

_How many times did I have to tell myself: It's okay. Everything's going to be okay..._

_Then, I would laugh and think...I really am a terrible liar._

* * *

Both blondes took deep breaths and stood outside the Fairy Tail guild were nervous. In Lucy's case: It's been too long since she last saw anyone from the guild. In Sting's case: he was not particularly fond of the fairies. He felt that he should be embarassed should anyone even see him there, but he had grown rather close to the celestial spirit mage and he just could not leave her alone until she was ready to move on on her own.

Feeling anxious, Sting decided to do what he did best; he pushed the stellar mage forward, causing her to stagger forward, toward the guild doors. At the exact same moment she reach her hand out for support only to realize that what she was holding onto something that felt rather soft and firm. She looked up, only to lock with familiar golden eyes. Her heart skipped a beat, but she no longer knew whether it was pain or something entirely different. "Hey Luce." She felt his hands move to hold onto hers, his grip tightening.

Sting coughed behind them, Natsu and Lucy turning to look. Almost immediately, as if she was pulled back to reality, Lucy ran up to Sting and held onto the hem of his shirt. "Sorry Natsu-san, but Lucy and I have some matters to discuss with Makarov."

Natsu just looked at the two, particularly at Lucy. She was holding on to Sting's shirt so innocently. Almost like she was afraid _he_ was going to hurt her. He could clearly see the pain in her eyes, the way her body would uncomfortably shift under his gaze. Natsu just wanted to comfort her, but it was obvious she did not want to be anywhere near him. "Aa...He's in his office..."

Sting nodded and walked through the doors, leaving Natsu standing by himself. He never really understood what he was feeling even now. He was angry, upset, he disliked seeing them together, how she would (though rarely) would smile at Sting. He disliked how he felt like he was the threat. He just wanted it to be the way it was before...?

"Realized it yet?" Gray walked up to the fire mage, whose back was turned to him. "You're hopeless Natsu. Can't you tell just by the way she looks at you? Lucy's been in love with you even before Lisanna came back."

Natsu remained frozen in place, his eyes wide, "What?"

Gray sighed and frowned, "You really are a fucking idiot."

Surprisingly Natsu made no comeback, "Neh? Gray? How will I know if I love her back? I just know she's an important friend of mine, but then...Lisanna. This whole thing is confusing the heck out of me."

The ice mage looked up at the sky and shrugged, "That's up to you flamebrain. You can't go to Lucy because you think you love her, or because you don't want to lose her. You have to know. Because then, you're going to hurt Lisanna in the process. You can't make a mistake with whatever it is you chose to do."

Natsu wanted to slap himself, and beat himself up for not realizing that Lucy had feelings for him. The whole time she has been helping him out get with Lisanna, it must have been eating her heart out. He felt stupid, he wanted to run to her and tell her how sorry he was for being such an idiot, but he could not do that. He has never seen Lucy so...afraid to be around him. It pained him that things turned out this way.

"You know why they're here right?"

"Yeah. But why does _he_ have to be here too?" Natsu growled.

Gray smiled and shook his head. Natsu was definitely in love with the stellar mage, he was just afraid to admit it out loud. It's been so obvious for so long, that it surprised everyone when he suddenly announced that he was going out with Lisanna. The guy was willing to go to the ends of the earth for Lucy, but of course he was just too dense.

"Where are you going?" Gray raised an eyebrow as Natsu proceeded to walk into the streets.

"I haven't talk to Lucy in months. Do you really think I'm going to let it stay that way?" Natsu ran in the direction of Lucy's apartment. He knew she was going to have to go back there at some point in the day, seeing as the old lady kept it vacant just for her.

The ice mage shook his head as Natsu ran off, "Idiot. You should've talked to her even back when she first left the guild."

"Gray..." Gray was not surprised to hear Lisanna from the doorway, but he did not turn to meet her gaze. He knew she heard almost everything he and Natsu talked about. It wasn't just Natsu who had to make a decision, the young takeover mage would have to, at some point, move on, or fight for her feelings for the dragon slayer.

"Lisanna, what do you think, would make Natsu happy?"

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	5. Chapter 5: So Far Out of Reach

_Hi everyone! So after three consecutive days of taking 4 AP Tests (3 more to go) I decided to dedicate this weekend to update this story. I hope you like it! and sorry for taking so long to update! (1 more week of highschool left! :D)_

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Chapter 5: So Far Out of Reach

Natsu was making his way to Lucy's old apartment, hoping that maybe, just maybe, he could return things to the way they were before. Just Lucy and him, partners, and best friends. He realized that Gray was right. He could not do anything until he was certain that he did have feelings beyond friendship for the stellar mage, but he was certain that she was too important for him to lose to someone as arrogant as Sting Eucliffe.

Lisanna was another reason why he was afraid to take any action. He was protective of her as well, and when she finally returned from Edolas, he wanted to make up for all those years that they were not together. He thought that maybe, because she always use to tell him that one day they would be together, maybe making that come true would make up for all those years. At first he did not see anything wrong with it, because he was sure he had some overly protective feelings for her, and thought that that must be what it felt to be in love.

He wanted Lucy back, but he did not want to hurt Lisanna. Then again, being with Lisanna would hurt Lucy. The fire mage wanted to rip his hair out in frustration at his conflicting emotions. Unlike his usual battles, he just could not attack this problem head on. Not once did he ever really use his head to think about the consequences of his actions, but this was something he could not rush.

"Natsu," the fire mage paused in his steps and turned around to the younger take-over mage, who was looking at him with rejected eyes. He could see she knew, and probably understood more than he does. His gaze turned back to the direction he meant to take, and back at Lisanna. "Don't, please. Can't you see, she's moved on?"

He wanted to argue. He wanted to tell her that she was wrong, that maybe things could go back to the way they used to be, but he knew she was right. Lucy was more comfortable around a rival guild member than she was with him. He sighed, conceding in defeat. If he were to argue further, it would only give Lucy more problems, and that was the last thing he wanted to do. Maybe, it was time for him to learn how to admit defeat.

Lucy was just too important to him, to watch her suffer more than she already had. Time can only tell...

Lisanna smiled at the fire dragon slayer as he took the hand she held out for him, though deep inside, she could see how much it pained him to think that this choice was his final choice. She knew he genuinely loves Lucy, but she was afraid to lose him once again. Gray was right, Lucy was the one who will make him happy, but she was too selfish to let him go. Time will heal both Lucy and him, and eventually, she was certain she will be the only one who will truly make him happy.

* * *

The guild was packed, almost every member present for the welcoming party for Lucy and Sting. Even if it was temporary, the guild was already treating the white dragon slayer like family, and for some strange reason, Sting really liked the feeling of being welcomed with open arms. Not that he was going to admit it out loud.

Fairy Tail was a guild unique to any other that he ever encountered and greatly contrasted with Sabertooth's beliefs and principal. They were so carefree, that it was hard to believe that they were currently the strongest guild in all of Fiore. He watched as the members drank and danced, intoxicated by the alcohol. Someone was singing in the background. He recoiled from the rather appalling sound of Gajeel's voice and had the urge to cover his ears with his hands. His heightened hearing was giving him a disadvantage, as well as his acute sense of smell. The overwhelming scent of the alcohol was giving him a headache. It was amazing that the dragon slayers could handle this kind of environment.

His gaze traveled from one end of the building to the other, until he caught a glimpse of Lucy seated with her friends. The blue-haired script mage was standing beside her, whispering something in her ear that caused her eyes to widen, a blush rising to her cheeks. She shook her head as if denying something. Sting could not help but be curious, it was not often that Lucy reacted that way, at least, not from what he could remember. A smile curled on his lips at the sound of her laugh.

He rarely ever saw her smile like that, and he wanted to see it more often than not. Tonight, he was not going to let her out of his sight, hoping to see her smile all night. As long as Natsu was not around she was going to alright. He wished she would just forget about him. What good will it do her to think about someone who was too oblivious and stupid to realize he was in love with her? Especially now that he was with someone else.

Suddenly becoming aware of what he was thinking, Sting shook his head. He couldn't be... right? He has only been with her for a few months, there was no way he could have developed feelings for her. But then again, he was not as dense as Natsu, and the need to protect Lucy and his longing to see her smile everyday...it was obvious that at some point during those months, he acquired some admiration for her.

How could he not? She was the one who had helped him try to get over Yukino. She was always trying to distract him just to get her off his mind while he did the same to keep her from thinking about Natsu. They have grown much closer than they could ever expect, even to the extent where he would join his rival guild just to make sure she was alright. When did Sting Eucliffe exactly become soft to a Fairy?

"Sting!" The white dragon slayer was instantly pulled out of his thoughts at the sound of Lucy's voice. He watched as she ran up to him, a wide smile on her face. Her hair was swaying with her movements, the lights giving her a golden glow. When the stellar mage finally reach him, she took a seat on the stool right beside him, and took his hands in hers, "Thank you!"

Without warning, Lucy pulled him into a hug, "I didn't think I would be this happy again. Thank you so much!" This wasn't the first time that she has done this. Sting smiled, holding her by the waist and pulling her closer. He leaned forward, nuzzling the crook of her neck only to have her in fits of giggles. "That tickles Sting."

At that exact same moment, the guild doors opened to reveal the fire dragon slayer and the younger take-over mage hand in hand. Lucy leaned back from Sting's hold, but not enough to pull herself free, and turned to look at who had entered the guild. The smile on her face immediately fell at the sight of the couple. She, although she knew she was being rude, had hoped they would not show up for the night. Out of habit, she leaned into Sting's chest, her hands moving to hold onto his shirt tightly.

Sting moved one of his hands to the back of her head, pulling her close should she break down and end up crying. "Hey, you're going to be alright."

"I know," she mumbled in his chest, but never letting her grip loosen from the fabric that clung to his skin. "I can handle it."

Sting let out a small laugh, carefully pulling her away, and looked at her in the eyes, "Then don't make him think you're weak."

Lucy sucked in a lungfull of oxygen and exhaled. A small smile graced her lips and she suddenly jumped back, holding out a hand, "Care to dance with me, Sting Eucliffe?"

The white dragon slayer frowned. He was not really one to dance, especially since he knew he would embarrass himself in front of a bunch of Fairies if he did so. He looked at the stellar mage, he chocolate brown orbs glimmering under the light. Resigning, he sighed and placed his hand on hers.

He pulled her close to him, and although the music was more upbeat, he still danced slowly with her, his arms around her waist, her hands over his shoulders. "Lucy..."

"I know." She leaned in closer to him, "But even if it's just for a little while, please stay with me and help me. I know you have leave in a few weeks to go back to your guild, but please, stay with me until then. I don't know if I can keep standing if you're not around." She buried her head on his chest, somewhat feeling pathetic for being so dependent on him, but she had to be honest with herself. She's so used to being around him. If he left now, she was sure to break down.

They stood close for a while, Lucy still holding onto his shirt. "Sting, have you spoken to Yukino?" the stellar mage looked up, his eyes seem to harden at the question. She sighed. She did not really want to bring up the subject, but he had promised that if she could face her problems, then he, too, needed to face his. "I'm sure they're starting to wonder about you."

Sting was lost in his thoughts, until he pulled the blonde female closer to him, "It's okay Lucy. I've accepted it already. I believe, because Rogue has always been so isolated, he needs someone like Yukino to bring him out of his shell. It's enough. I'll be grateful for that, when the day comes."

Lucy pouted, "What about Lector? Don't you miss him?"

The white dragon slayer tilted his head, then a smirk curled on his lips, "Why, miss Heartfilia, are you trying to get rid of me?" He playfully grimaced her way, causing her to laugh, her eyes finally shining the way they did before.

* * *

Golden eyes narrowed as he watched the way her lips curled into the smile she used to give him. His heart ached to see his partner, best friend, his Lucy, smile like that for another guy. He missed her. As much as he hated to admit it, he missed her more than he ever missed Lisanna when he thought she had died, and yet, Lucy was only a few meters away, but still so far out of his reach.

He continued to watch them, his head turned slightly to the left, down on the table over his arms. They were laughing, Sting's hands holding her tightly on her waist as they slow danced to the music.

A small smile played on his lips, remembering a time when he had danced with her. At the time he never really thought much of it, but now, he wished he could relive those days and tell her just how much he treasures them.

"Natsu?" It took a while for the fire mage to realize that Lisanna was calling his name before he turned to her. He felt guilty he had forgotten she was there. Once again he was battling with himself, unsure of what he was really feeling. "Don't you want to dance?"

Natsu sighed, "Sorry Lis, I'm not really feeling up to it today. I'm not really one to dance." He placed his head down once more, taking a peek at Sting and Lucy. It just was not the same anymore.

* * *

When Lucy entered the guild the following morning, she was surprised to find the place sparkling clean. She smiled, knowing that Mirajane had once again done the impossible. She walked over to the bar, taking a seat on the stool she has not sat on for the past few months. "Good morning, Mira." The barmaid was standing behind the counter, wiping the already clean wine glasses.

"Good morning, Lucy. The guild certainly missed you," Mirajane gave Lucy her motherlike smile.

"I'm so glad I came back. I really did miss everyone too." And she did. She missed the parties, the way everyone would smile and laugh even during the toughest times. She missed Erza, Wendy, Gray, Happy, and most of all, she missed Natsu. Lucy shook her head, _No. I'm over that. I can't think of him that way anymore...I shouldn't..._

Noticing the sudden tension Lucy emanated, Mirajane placed a glass of orange juice in front of her, pulling the stellar mage out of her reverie. She knew the struggle she went through and although she was better at hiding it, she knew that Lucy was still having some internal conflicts.

"Well, probably not as much as we did you. You did look like you were having fun with Sting-kun last night," The she-devil gave her a small wink, causing the stellar mage to blush.

"It isn't like that, Mira. We've become really great friends, and he was there for me when..." Lucy sighed. She should not think of it. She should not care anymore. But she did.

The sound of the guild doors opening caused the two female mages to look. Natsu walked in, his shoulders slumped, head down, and headed straight for the bar. He did not seem to notice the two girls conversing or the way Lucy's body tensed when he sat down just a few stools from where she sat. "Can I get a beer, Mira?"

Lucy's heart beat began to speed up, her hand instinctively moving over her chest, as if she was trying to quiet its loud thudding. _No, it shouldn't be like this anymore._ She looked anywhere but him, and avoided the look Mirajane was giving her as she handed Natsu his drink. Her face began to heat up, tears forming in her eyes.

"Isn't it a little too early for you to be drinking Natsu?" Mirajane placed the cup gently on the bar table in front of the fire mage. He still seemed oblivious by the fact the Lucy was nearby. "Something on your mind?"

Natsu was quiet, but not taking the drink placed in front of him, "I don't know, Mira. I know you're her sister, and I know you want what's best for her, but I don't know what to do." He looked up at her, searching for an answer, "Is it love when you're being protective of someone? When you care so much about them, that for all the years she was gone, you want to make up for the lost time in a single day? Is it love, if even though you care about her, there's someone else that you're missing? What if that other person, is nearby, but even so, your heart still misses them?"

Mirajane seemed rather confused by what he said, but eventually understood, "You have always been close to Lisanna. You cried when she died, you cried when you realized she was still alive, but Natsu, is there someone, say, everyone was going to die, and you can only save one person, who would you save?"

"L–" Natsu stopped his words, it was as if his instincts immediately reacted to her. His eyes travelled from Mirajane to the the guild doors that just closed. He could have sworn he saw a flash of gold from the corner of his eyes. _Who would I save?..._ "I don't know."

Mirajane sighed, moving to pick up the still full glass of orange juice from where Lucy sat just a few minutes ago. She shook her head, as much as she wanted what would make Lisanna happy, she wished the relationship between Natsu and Lucy would return. She really did like them as a couple.

"Think of it this way, Natsu, would you rather see Lisanna happy with another guy, or would you rather see Lucy happy in the arms of another guy? Say, someone like, Sting Eucliffe?"

* * *

_Hey Blondie,_

_Lector came earlier with a message, something came up at the guild and I'm needed right away. You're right, I need to talk to both Rogue and Yukino and I think I will do that after the matter at the guild is settled. _

_I will be back in a few weeks, Don't miss me too much._

_Sting E._

Lucy sat down, a heavy breath escaping her lips. She placed the note back on the table and curled herself into a ball. _It's okay Lucy, he's coming back. You can handle a few weeks without Sting. You're going to be okay._

* * *

_Read and Review please!_

_Thankyou!:)_


	6. Chapter 6: Promises

_**Poll is closed and results are up!**_

* * *

Chapter 6: Promises

Sting sat on the table, his feet on the chair, arms folded, head down, as he listened to the soft mumbling of his guild members. His breathing was silent as he tried to block the noise. Lector flew above him, but he chose to ignore his constant rant about how powerful his partner is.

He did not know what to think, or what to do. When Lector had told him that he needed to return to the guild immediately, he did not expect the news to be this bad. A floor above from where he sat was his best friend, lying on an infirmary bed, unconscious. His last job request was successful with dire consequences, so when Yukino ran up to him, tears in her eyes, he knew right away that something was up with Rogue.

He could not bear to look at his friend. Fresh scars and bruises were on his pale skin. His right leg had taken the most damage, crushed by the tumbling rocks from the job site. According to Yukino, the doctors were still unsure what would happen if he woke up, especially after suffering from a severe head injury. Had he not been taken care of sooner, Rogue would have died.

It pained Sting to see him so beaten, his knuckles turning white as he clenched his hands into fists. And to make it worse, it pained him to watch Yukino in tears. Throughout the hour that he stayed in the room, Yukino was in his arms. There was turmoil within him, guilt dominating the other.

So now he sat on a table in the guild, his mind and heart conflicting with each other. Sabertooth's celestial mage had asked him to stay with her for support until Rogue woke up, the estimated time of four months, but he had promised Lucy that he would return in a few weeks. He looked down, tempted to hit something, anything. He wanted to stay with Yukino and be there for her, but Lucy... a heavy sigh escaped his lips...Lucy could wait.

"Sting-kun," The white dragon slayer looked up at the celestial mage, her hazel eyes clearly expressing the grief she felt about Rogue's current condition, "I wanted to thank you. I understand you were training, and you still came here..." She quickly wiped the tears from her cheeks, causing Sting's heart of throb painfully at the sight, "Thank you."

The blonde jumped down from where he sat, and walked over to her, placing his strong arms around her in comfort. "You know I would set aside anything for you, Yukino. I hate seeing you so upset. Rogue is going to be okay, and I won't leave your side until he wakes."

* * *

Lucy's eye twitched, trying to force a smile as she watched Gajeel mercilessly hog the microphone all to himself and began to sing. It's been a good two months since Sting left her to go back to Sabertooth, and the empty feeling inside her was beginning to grow as each day passed. She tried to avoid any communication with Natsu or any contact, but it was an impossible task.

He was always around, constantly getting into fights, or sometimes she would notice him quietly sitting with his girlfriend. It was those times when their eyes would meet and she would immediately look away. It seemed like he was searching for an answer to a question. What that question could be, Lucy did not know, and she should not even care.

She wished Sting was around, but the last thing she wanted to do was hold him back from being with his family. A soft sigh escaped her lips, trying extremely hard to be a little more optimistic. _He said he would come back in a few weeks. It must be pretty bad if he's taken this long._ Her mind returned to the present, the sound of Gajeel's singing giving her a rather painful headache.

After just coming home from a week long job, Lucy was exhausted. She was tempted to go straight to her apartment, but she knew she had to check in with Mirajane to ensure her the job was successful. But when she entered the guild doors, she found everyone in a party mood, Gajeel already taking the stage. Everyone was present, probably taking a break from constantly being out on jobs. Even in her condition, she was somehow persuaded to stay and watch the show, taking small sips of the alcoholic drink Mirajane was serving everyone.

She took another sip from the drink, and then some more. The sudden blur in her vision was warning her to head home, but she continued to drink until her fourth cup was emptied. Her eyes flickered to Natsu, whose golden eyes were fixated on her brown ones. She took note that Lisanna was not around, probably sent home by her older sister.

Her heart thumped loudly in her chest, causing her to quickly turn away from his gaze. She looked around and then back to where he sat only to find that he was no longer there. Unsure of whether she was relieved or disappointed, she chose the latter. It was the drink, suddenly bringing out the sudden honesty. Throwing the cup at a nearby trashcan, she decided it was time to go home.

Her steps were unbalanced as she tripped her way out of the guild doors. Looking up, her eyes shone with awe at the bright stars against the charcoal black night. The moon was full, its light blue glow emanating throughout the sky. A part of her wished she could share it with Natsu, but that seemed impossible now. Not after everything that happened between them.

However much she wished her feelings away, it did very little for it to actually happen. All those days and nights she shared with him were all but distant memories. Now here she was, alone, trying to reach out to him, but at the same time arguing with her inner self to stop, because it was hopeless. She could never be with Natsu again, no matter how much she longed for his presence.

She struggled once again to take steps down the front steps. Her surroundings were moving, her eyesight was becoming blurred. Regret immediately overcame her emotions and she felt knotts begin to form in her stomach, vowing never again to drink that much, which was not really even much to begin with.

"Luce..." Lucy's eyes immediately searched her surroundings until she saw a figure leaning by the gate. She stepped closer, tripping on nothing in particular, but two strong, familiar arms prevented her from falling. She knew who it was, but the warmth and the familiar protective feeling she received stopped her from pushing him off, "I'll take you home."

Natsu carried her close to him, sometimes he would glance down at her, his eyes softening at her flustered sight. They exchanged no words as Natsu carried her home, the air around them seem to tense, and yet, there was a feeling of comfort to be close to each other again.

"Why?" the fire mage could feel her hands hold onto his shirt as if for emotional support. He could not understand what she meant by the question. Nothing was ever actually clear to him, and without an explanation from Lucy herself, he will never be able truly understand just what she is going through. "Don't you know, how happy I am that you're here?!"

He voice rose as she looked up at him with tear filled eyes. Slightly taken aback by her flushed face and her emotional breakdown, Natsu pulled her closer to him, "Luce, you know I'm happy to be able to take care of you once again. I miss this, but not like this."

"You idiot. Don't you know how much it kills me just being this close to you right now?" Even more taken aback, Natsu gave her a questioning look, confused. She was beginning to contradict herself. It must be the alcohol. "Natsu, I don't know why, but I still love you."

Without warning, the stellar mage pulled the fire mage by his scarf, pressing her lips to his. Her hands moved to cup his face, her lips moving to coax him to kiss back. But Natsu was taken by surprise. He could not move and he did not know how to feel about her confessing personally.

Pulling himself away and setting her back on the ground, he look at her. She had difficulty in maintaining her balance, but when she was finally able to stand together, she looked away from him.

"Lucy...I... It's not– It wouldn't be fair– Lisanna..." He struggled to find the right words, but was never able to finish when the celestial mage ran from him and towards her apartment. His legs would not move to go after her, but there was a rapid thumping in his chest he just could not ignore. He knew it just could not be this way forever. He had to do something about it.

* * *

Lucy groaned at the sound of knocking. After crying for hours, she had finally fallen asleep, but only to be interrupted by the constant thudding on her door. Opening her eyes, she silently hissed at the bright rays of sunlight and the pounding in her head.

Raising her arm over her eyes to block the light, her mind drifted to what had happened the night before. She was not drunk enough to actually forget her stupid actions. Natsu had made it clear who he wanted, and that there was no room for her in his already crowded heart. In turn, it broke her already shattered heart. She felt stupid, that after all those months trying to get over him, she never could.

What exactly was it about Natsu that attracted her? Maybe because she was so dependent on him. A part of her became so used to having him around, always protecting her when she was in trouble.

The knocking grew louder, giving Lucy no other choice but to get up and open the damned door. Realizing who it could be, she could not help but smile and ran towards it, her hands quickly unlocking the knob and pulling it open, "Sti—oh. Hey guys..."

She should have smiled right then and just be happy to see her old team. The only reason she was able to smile was the joy she felt to finally be able to see Erza again. Unconsciously, the stellar mage embraced the requip mage, small tears falling on her pale cheeks. "Erza, I'm so glad you're back!"

Sensing the immediate fall of the atmosphere, Erza shot Gray a cold glare, "What did the idiots do this time?" Gently pulling the stellar mage away, she looked at her as she wiped the tears from her face with the sleeve of her pajama top. "I apologize. I did not think the S-class job would take me so long. I heard some rumors, so I came here right away and happen to run into Wendy and Gray. I thought it best they be here."

Silently nodding, Lucy stepped aside and allowed them to enter their home. It was a first. Strange that they did not immediately just barge in like they used to. Giving them time to settle in her living room, Lucy headed for the kitchen to prepare tea, one iced and the other two hot, and three slices of the strawberry cake she bought the day before.

"Thanks," Erza's eyes gleamed with delight as the plate was placed before her.

Lucy took a seat across from her, Gray seated next to Erza, and Wendy on the floor. "How was your job?"

"It went well. The tracking was the extensive part, but that aside, it was fairly simple. How have you been? I don't want to beat around the bush, I heard Team Natsu disbanded. Why is that?"

There was an awkward silence that filled the small room. Gray looked down, guilty. While Wendy looked away from the two older female mages. "I...Team Natsu didn't disband. I just...I left the group. I never wanted to, honestly! But I felt even more alone being in the group than actually being alone..."

Erza need not bother to ask her to go on. Lucy continued, "See, I've had feelings for—for Natsu."

"Uhhh, you just realized that?"

"Ehh?! What do you mean? You know?" Lucy's eyes were wide with surprise.

"Lucy, even before Lisanna came back, almost everyone knew that there was something between the two of you. But you guys never acknowledged it, that is, I suppose until recently."

"I...the point is, I just can't work professionally with the team with these emotions for him. I did what I thought was best."

* * *

A good two months have passed, and Sting sat quietly on the chair on Rogue's bedside. He had woken up almost a week ago, and it was only now that the blonde dragon slayer was able to properly talk to him.

"How are you? Aside from the obvious," a small smirk tugged on Sting's lips at his friend's annoyed glare. "You gave everyone quite a scare; Frosch had been crying non stop, Yukino too. Master was worried he would lose one of his best mage, and of course, I was a little worried I'd lose my best friend."

The shadow dragon slayer raised an eyebrow, " A little." It was not a question, but a statement in a tone that made it clear he knew exactly what his idiot of a friend was trying to say. "Aside from the constant pain on my leg, I'm well. I should be recovering soon. One of the perks of being a dragon slayer. How are you doing, Sting?"

"What are you talking about? I'm great. You worry too much," Sting leaned back on the plastic chair. He knew exactly what Rogue was implying. "I haven't seen Yukino around since you woke up. What's going on?"

Rogue looked up at the empty ceiling. The only light illuminating his room was growing dim. "I ended what relationship I had with her."

Surprised, the white dragon slayer nearly fell off his chair, "What?! Why the hell would you do that?!" Yes, he was enraged. Especially since he knew that Yukino loved him, and their relationship was going well.

"I can't take care of her Sting. I can't stand to watch you tear yourself up because I know you like her. I don't want you to distance yourself because you're hurting inside." Rogue took a deep breath, "Sting, it was entirely mutual. She knows, and I know, friendship is as far as we go. Nothing less, nothing more. So... I want you to take good care of her."

Sting was utterly shocked. Rogue was pretty much encouraging him to pursue their celestial mage. The first thing that came into his mind was Lucy. He just could not ignore what time they spent together and what relationship (whatever it maybe) that they developed. He had told her that he would be back in a few weeks, but it was only now that he realized that two full months have passed.

He became distracted, and even forgot all about writing to her and letting her know that he would be back later than expected. She must be worried, and a part of him was nagging him that she would not be able to handle being around Natsu. What if the pink-haired idiot upset her again? He missed the blonde fairy tail mage.

But then again. Yukino needed him much more and whatever his mind pushed to tell him was clouded just by her presence alone. He was hooked to her, no matter what letting go he had tried to do had failed miserably. He was afraid, that this time, it would be him hurting Lucy. He knew she needed him, but...Yukino, he would do anything for her.

_"Please?"_

The sudden image of Lucy asking him to stay with her flashed in his mind. He just couldn't break his promise to be there for her. He could never forget how she had been one of the few people who was able to make him genuinely smile and laugh. How she was the reason he could forget, for just a moment, even about Yukino. "I'm sorry, Rogue. There's something...something I need to take care of before anything else. You don't have to lie about your true feelings. Please, go back to her. Don't make sacrifices you might regret later on. I'm not going to risk losing something so important to me, and neither should you."

* * *

"Lis...I just need to collect my thoughts for a while. Everything's been crazy, and I need time to think. I don't want to hurt you, but I think that if I continue to be with you while I'm confused, it would only make matters worse." Natsu leaned forward to place his hand over hers. He then lifted her chin to face him, wiping the tears from her cheeks.

"I see..." Lisanna looked down once again, at her hands, her hair covering her face and tears falling from her eyes. She knew it was bound to happen, but she tried so hard to prolong it. "I understand...I hope...I hope you clear things out. Your feelings, and what you really want from me, and from Lucy."

Natsu nodded, then stood up to head out the door. Before he could turn the knob, he felt two small arms wrap around his waist from behind him. Something moist and wet was seeping through his shirt, and it pained him to listen to Lisanna's sobs. "I promise," he heard her say, "I promise I will fight for you, Natsu. Please...come back to me soon!"

* * *

_**Well, to start things off, The pairing has been decided by of course, you guys! Thanks for voting!**_

_**Second, I would like to apologize for the late update. I got a job and it has been keeping me busy, along with college/orientation stuff! xc**_

_**Thirdly, I was reading a fanfiction and will start a new one (I know. Another one xc) but this time, I would really like to experiment with Lalu (Laxus xXx Lucy) what do you think?**_

_**Also, thankyou for all the reviews, fave, follows, etc. I appreciate all of your patience and support!**_

_**Lastly, Review Review Review!**_

**_Thanks everyone! _**


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